Trout Flies

In my opinion, the scud is very under utilized fly when it comes to tailwaters, it’s not very glamorous pattern to tie or to fish, but man, can it be effective for catching trout I can tell you from my lake fishing experience that a body of water that has a healthy population of scuds also has a fish population that heavily prey on it. This also means that tail waters below those reservoirs have Read More

CDC Spinner This easy pattern is a great additive to the fly box, especially if your a waterfowl hunter who happens to have a stash of cdc feathers. I have found this pattern most effective when tied in Trico and BWO colors and sizes. I take a slightly different tact on tying in the cdc wings, as I usually tie in the whole feather and then snip the shaft back from the barbs, this gives Read More

This exceeding simple pattern was developed as an alternative to the small flashy patterns that were available I wanted something that incorporated a visibly distinct segmentation in the abdomen with colors that were very visible, these attributes coupled with the small amount of flash in the abdomen (mimicking trapped gases) makes this pattern very effective, especially for finicky tail water fish. You can thank my wife for the name, it looks like a present and Read More

Levi’s Top Brass Midge This fly was created with a emphasis on simplicity, durability, and the ability to be fished throughout the water column. The Top Brass midge with it’s foam gills and super fine dubbed head and thorax can be fished on the surface film or in a nymph or dry dropper rig, the simple wire wrapped abdomen creates a very consistent segmentation which is also very durable. The Top Brass Midge has been a Read More

The F.O.D. (Fly of Destiny) The F.O.D. or “Fly Of Destiny” developed by Connell O’Grady mimics a crawling or emerging mayfly and is very effective pattern in sizes 18-22. This fly has really been producing fish on tail waters like the South Platte and Arkansas rivers as well as freestone rivers like the Eagle. The F.O.D. Pattern has a lot of personality considering how easy it is to tie. Try adjusting the color of the Read More

Dubbing Loop Leech Tutorial Yea, you heard me, a leech and I know what your thinking, with all the wonderful variations of stone flies, worms, eggs, and attractor patterns, why in the world would you waste space in your nymph rig with a dull looking leech? It’s simple, I’m lazy, and this particular leech pattern is quick and easy to tie, plus the addition of the “hot spot” gives it the look of an egg Read More

W.O.H. Sparkle Dun Hook: Tiemco 100 Dry Fly Hook #18-22 Thread: Dark Grey Ultra 70 Shuck – Black Ice Dub Body – Adams Grey Dubbing Wing – Deer Hair Now that the water on the S. Platte is consistently producing Blue Wing hatches that the trout are noticing, it’s time to break out the 3wt and start moving fish with the new dry patterns you have been working on through the winter doldrums One of Read More

Winter Fly Selection for the Vail Valley Post and Pictures by Bob Streb I feel less like a pack mule in the winter. I simply carry a lot less extras, sometimes even leaving the sling pack behind after jamming my “winter box” of flies in a jacket pocket. The need to carry every pattern in the catalog plus several medium sized rabbit’s worth of streamers just is not necessary this time of year. Why? Read More

Let your creative juices flow with these simple additions on a common thread midge There’s no debating the face that trout love the color blue, especially rainbow trout. Here on the Eagle River, head guide Bob Streb shows a few of his favorite variations for dressing up his “trashy” midges for Colorado fly fishing. Do yourself a favor and experiment with different colored ribs, beads, dubs and head colors to create a killer combination for Read More

This is a great fly tying pattern for our local Colorado streams. It is a quick tie, uses only a few materials and works like a charm all Summer long on the Eagle River, Roaring Fork and Colorado River. These flies fish best from a Sz. 16-20 on a dead drift or a gradual lift. We stock all the materials needed for this fly so give us a call if you’d like to spin up Read More